Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, Toriyama, and Funimation do. This is Fan fiction, so I don't get paid, so don't sue me!

"Trunks is your name, huh?" Vegeta asked, leading the teenager into the Gravity room area with him.

"Yes sir," said Trunks quietly. He followed Vegeta at a discrete distance of two feet, waiting patiently in the small locker room. Bulma and Dr. Briefs had connected Capsule 3 with a small antechamber containing two showers and a slew of lockers and benches. Some of them contained changes of training clothes while others contained bottles of water and towels.

"You don't speak too much. That's probably a good thing. I can't stand chatterboxes," Vegeta grunted. He turned to open one of the nearest lockers to his left.

"Uh huh," Trunks nodded.

"Now, here's the deal. I'm going to have you find something more suitable to wear than that garb. Some regular training clothes. I suppose we're about the same size, although you could use a lot more muscle on your bones," said Vegeta. Trunks took off his sword, setting it on one of the benches.

"Thank you," he nodded, walking over to the lockers where Vegeta was digging a spare blue training suit and pants out. He threw them at Trunks, who caught them eagerly. As the boy removed his jacket, Vegeta got a good look at his toned body, criticizing it with the eye of a leader examining a potential warrior.

"Where did you get that sword, boy?" asked Vegeta, watching Trunks unbuckle his sword belt. He set it on one of the benches. Multiple scars crisscrossed the boy's bare back, revealed when Trunks stripped off his muscle shirt to add to the pile of his clothes.

"It was entrusted to me," Trunks explained. "A long story… if you want to hear it sometimes."

"That will do," Vegeta cut him off. He plunked down a pair of gold toed white boots near the sword.

"Those too?" Trunks asked.

"These should be close to your size. You seem to be about the same stature as myself," said Vegeta quietly, pushing the boots towards him. He dropped a pair of white gloves into the surprised teenager's lap.

"What are these for?" Trunks asked, blinking up at him. He pushed aside a lock of hair that fell before his blue eyes.

"Better put these on as well. I can't have you screwing up your hands already. They’re rough as leather."

"Comes with the territory," Trunks smirked. He exchanged his pants for the spandex AE ones, then sat down to try on the boots. Vegeta leaned against the wall, watching the boy with great scrutiny.

"What are these tin cans like in your time when you've fought them?" Vegeta asked. "Their armaments."

"They're called Cyborgs 17 and 18," Trunks said, tugging on the sleeveless blue training top.

"How very droll," said Vegeta. "And when do they make their presence known?"

"A few years from now," said Trunks. "In fact we might be able to find their base and…"

"What, and miss the chance to test good training? I don't like sneaking about when I can," Vegeta interrupted.

"With all due respect, sir, that's what killed you in the first place. I won't stand by and let them do the same thing!" Trunks said quickly. He jerked the boots on, stamping his feet in the same way Vegeta did to seat them properly.

"First of all, boy, I don't like that insolence, and secondly, you're the one who isn't supposed to be here. What the hell were you thinking leaving your mother defenseless in her time?"

"She can take care of herself better than you'd know, sir," said Trunks with a hint of anger.

"Humph, I'm sure of that, if she's still alive."

"She is. Barely," said Trunks bitterly. He hesitated with the gloves Vegeta threw him, fingering them thoughtfully before drawing them on. Something white shot out and he grabbed it from the air, feeling the weight of an armored vest.

"All the more reason why you need to learn how to use proper equipment and evaluate your strengths…" said Vegeta, cutting him off. "It disgusts me to think that I was so easily cut down by two tin cans! How is that possible?"

"You had no foreknowledge, and it was my idea to come back here. Mother didn't want me to go, but I was the only one left," said Trunks, dragging the armored vest over his head. He tugged it down, then faced Vegeta with a grim look on his face.

"How… what weaknesses did I display? I must know," Vegeta asked, moving right into his face, his dark eyes inches from Trunk's own.

"You… they were all caught by surprise. I was less than three years old, sir… only Gohan saved me. He trained me to become Super Saiyan. I didn't… achieve it till… just before I came…" Trunks confessed.

"So… you've only just come into your power, have you?" Vegeta asked quietly. He paced a half circle around the boy, shaking his head when he realized that Trunks was around the same age as he was when Freeza had…

"Yes sir. Gohan was my mentor… my tutor."

"Gohan? Kakkarot's son?" asked Vegeta. "Interesting. So, did he achieve Super Saiyan."

"Yes, early on, only a few years from now. When Son Goku dies of a heart virus. I don't know WHY he didn't come back. I shouldn't be here."

"You're here now boy. And as such, you'll provide me with plenty of useful knowledge, so this enemy can be vanquished," Vegeta said. Trunks' hands balled into fists as he looked down at the ground, his jaw firming.

"I want to destroy those miserable mother fuckers for what they did to my friends, sir… you have to believe it. That’s why I'm here," he said. "I don't want you to die, when I could have done something."

"Boy, you presume too much responsibility, what in the name of Planet Vegeta gives you the privilege to assign blame to yourself?" Vegeta snapped at him. "You're barely a man, Trunks. If you let your past defeats rule you, you're no better than one of the Z fighter weaklings. What the fuck COULD you have done, and why the hell does that matter NOW?"

"Sir?" Trunks asked, shocked.

"My point is this, boy. Your arrogance equals my own. I thought as you did now, that if there was something I could have done in the past my planet wouldn't have been destroyed. Well kid, your friends aren't coming back. And you have to focus on avenging them now by becoming the strongest you can be, as I must. Because I'll be damned if Kakarotto defeats these androids before."

"We need all of us together! You can't do it alone, can you?"

"Boy… you try my patience."

"Doesn't a Prince need an army to command?" Trunks asked firmly.

"Yes he does. But not an army of weaklings," said Vegeta angrily.

"Show me how to fight, and I'll show you how I became Super Saiyan, sir," Trunks said quickly. "I swear I'll do what I can to show you what I know… because I don't want you to die. Not in this time."

"I don't plan on it, boy," said Vegeta angrily. "So enough of that shit. Let's go and see what you're made of. And if Kakkarot's brat really has what it takes to mold a warrior."

A minute later, Trunks and Vegeta stood in the Capsule 3 gravity chamber together. Vegeta barked a command to the computer in Saiyan. Carrying his sword, Trunks stood at the ready, watching Vegeta with those azure eyes beneath purple brows.

"Commence training program zeta three," Vegeta shouted to the training bots. "Now, you boy… show me how much gravity you can take."

"How much do you have, sir?" Trunks smirked. Vegeta caught the gleam in his eye, and nodded as he turned up the setting.

"The gravity will increase in increments from 10 up to 200, and you'll feel a gradual shift," Vegeta said. Trunks felt the weight pressing down on every square inch of his body. He gasped under the heavy armor, determined not to fail the man he'd just met. Vegeta sensed the need to please, and planned to see what the boy was made of.

"Let's forget the fringe and fancy shit, and do some basic exercises. We're currently at two hundred g's, and you seem to be bearing it reasonably well. Drop and give me 12,000 pushups. We need to build up your load bearing under greater pressure," Vegeta ordered. "I'll set the pace. Try to keep up."

"Right," Trunks nodded, dropping to his hands. Vegeta noticed as the boy reached 100 that he'd resorted to one hand behind his back. Sweat beaded on his face, as the lavender brows furrowed with intense concentration.

For the first hour or so, Vegeta watched as Trunks matched him pushup for pushup. Even when Vegeta pushed only with his index finger, he glanced at his training partner across the room. Trunks had just managed to push his body vertically on two of his fingers, while Vegeta used just his index. Normally Vegeta would not use armor for a simple workout, but there was a certain ceremony about this training exercise. It felt right to don the armor, and force the boy to prove if he was worth his claims of Saiyan blood or not.

"That will do," Vegeta panted, flipping over to land on his boots.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to skip the preliminaries and have a REAL challenge?" Trunks asked.

"You asked for it, you'll get it, boy," Vegeta snickered. "Are you sure?"

"Very, aren't you?" Trunks asked.

"Hmmm. Now, throw a ki blast and see if you can deflect it as it passes from one bot to another like this," Vegeta ordered, as the room increased in pressure. Trunks panted and sweated, as the gravity reached 100. So far, the energy balls glanced back and forth like a pinball relay.

"Your turn," said Vegeta.

Trunks aimed his ki blast at the center of the cluster. From bot to bot it ricocheted, then surged back towards him. He crouched into a stance and crossed his arms, blocking the blast with a ki shield. His missile glanced off and slammed into the furthest bot, knocking it into the next.

"Match power for power! I want to see what you can do boy!" Vegeta shouted. "Try this!"

Vegeta surged his hands together after having them at his sides. Trunks slashed his hands through the air, generating his own move.

"Big Bang!" Vegeta gritted.

"Burning attack!" Trunks shouted, surging his own beam towards Vegeta's energy creation. An enormous blue flash knocked both men backwards in opposite directions. Just in time, they shielded one another from the feedback. Vegeta panted and gasped, glancing across the clearing smoke to see Trunks crouched there with his arms crossed before his face.

"Adequate," Vegeta nodded critically. "Did you develop that attack yourself?"

"It's a modified Gallic Gun, sir," said Trunks quickly.

"Is it? The purpose of those gestures at the beginning," Vegeta gasped, wiping sweat from his dark brows.

"To distract the enemy, of course," Trunks answered with a grin. "Why not show a little style?"

"Style won't win a battle, kid, that's why. But I'll overlook the need for showing off when I consider that you have a slight point. But make no mistake, I don't like this cute shit," Vegeta snarled in distaste. Trunks frowned disapprovingly, tensing.

"I thought style was important to a Prince," Trunks retorted, pushing his hair out of his face.

" I don't know what Gohan taught you, but I'm taking over your training now. I think that you could do with a lot more basic calisthenics and increases in hyper speed…" Vegeta said, straightening up to his regal posture. He moved into a defensive crouch, inching towards Trunks.

"I'd like that, but why?" Trunks asked, dropping into a similar stance.

"I may have been taken by surprise in your time, and you may be stronger, but your basic form is sloppy. You're making the same mistakes Kakarotto does. Wielding your power like a clumsy tool when you could wield it like a true Saiyan warrior. You may rely on your Super Saiyan powers, but it takes considerable time to power up. A Prince and his fighters always lay the fancy moves on a foundation of solid training…"

"Gohan showed me what I needed to survive. With all due respect if those moves can't stop the androids…" Trunks answered.

"Super Saiyan forms aside, you need to learn this, if you're to fight with me, boy," said Vegeta impatiently. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Excuse me but did you say fight with you?" Trunks asked.

"Are you deaf, kid?" Vegeta snorted. "I won't have you getting careless because you have achieved what I've not. There's no substitute for real experience…"

"You mean the fighting styles you used," said Trunks lifting a brow.

"You lack speed. And I'll show you exactly how to go about doing it. Together with my expert training and your counsel in achieving Super Saiyan, we may well not need the others."

"I only hope you're right, sir," said Trunks quietly. His eyes focused right into Vegeta's for an intense soul probing moment. The Saiyan Prince uncomfortably clenched his fists at his sides when staring back at that odd lavender mirror image. For an instant, he saw something there that was dastardly familiar. Just what about Trunk's visage resembled his was elusive, but perhaps it was the overall anger radiating under a veneer of indifference.

"What's your problem, boy?" Vegeta barked.

"Nothing sir," Trunks said, turning his back to Vegeta. He ignored him with all the indifference that Vegeta had afforded the other Z fighters. Deliberately Trunks copied every aspect of Vegeta's attitude, down to the sweep of his lavender brows and the nose thrust into the air.

"Bullshit," Vegeta snapped. "Out with it. You're about ready to blow up by the looks of it. So out with it."

"I don't want you hurting Mom," said Trunks angrily. "That's the one thing I won't tolerate, sir."

"As if THAT's any concern of yours…"

"It IS my concern, Father!" Trunks snapped at him, wheeling on his father with disgust written across his young face. He hiked a finger at Vegeta, hollering at him, "And damn you if you can't understand it! She's wasted 15 years of her life hurting because she never knew that you gave a damn about her."

"WHAT was that?" Vegeta snapped back. "EXCUSE me?"

"There's no excuse for it, Father,” Trunks growled. "For YEARS I've wanted to hold her and be everything for her that… that…"

"WHAT?" Vegeta demanded. "What the HELL crawled up your ass, you brat?"

"That you never did, okay?" Trunks shouted. "You were never THERE for her cause you DIED! I know it makes no sense but I could see the pain on her face whenever I asked about you. It was like she was ashamed to talk about something, well I want to know why in hell she can't mention your name without that pained look on her face!"

"You're a fool, you stupid brat," Vegeta shot back. "You DARE compare your loss to mine?"

"I compare NOTHING, FATHER!" Trunks yelled. Vegeta felt his power spike to an incredible plateau as Trunks gritted his teeth. Reality seemed to explode as he blazed with golden energy.

"HOW DARE YOU! You know who you're talking to you ungrateful brat!" Vegeta roared. A fury matching Trunks exploded and the whole world became a blinding supernova. "DAMN YOU!"

"No damn YOU Father! Damn you for dying damn you for hurting mom! Damn you for claiming she was never GOOD enough for you!" Trunks yelled. With a snarl, Vegeta launched himself as Trunks hurled a ki blast at him.

Royal blue energies changed to gold as both men lunged to the attack. Trunks fist flashed out, blocked by Vegeta's. A sharp knee to Vegeta's gut knocked the wind out of him. He zipped out as Trunks slammed his arm into Vegeta's back. Enraged, the Prince raised his knee and pegged Trunks in his abdomen. They crashed like lightening, then flipped back to regard one another, heaving in and out with great breaths.

"You wanted to know what it takes to be a super Saiyan, sir." Trunks panted. "Do you REALLY want to know?"

"I DEMAND! It's my birthright!" Vegeta yelled.

"You have more than enough anger. It kills you to know you have the secret all along and you can't reach it. Is THAT why you've hated my mother?"

"You'll DIE for that! NOBODY questions my choices!" Vegeta raged. "How DARE YOU presume to question my mate! NOBODY does that!"

"Would you die for her? Or is she just a WEAKNESS?" Trunks asked, curling his mouth into a mocking sneer at his father.

"You… you…" Vegeta gritted, hurling ki blast after ki blast at him. Trunks' hands flew in a frenzy to deflect each bolt. His hair sizzled with golden energy so bright it was blinding Vegeta to everything except the outrage burning through every inch of his body.

"You want to know why Son Goku and Son Gohan always were powerful. Well I guess the weak things like LOVE and family gave them ENOUGH hatred to fight! Too bad YOU the all powerful prince never could figure it out!"

"Shut up!" Vegeta howled, throwing himself on Trunks. Something snapped inside him and he was raising his fists to pummel the boy. Then his hands closed around Trunks' neck, slowly strangling him. Trunks slammed both his wrists on either side of Vegeta's face, causing the Prince to release him. Then he grasped Vegeta's hands in his own, pushing back with all his strength.

"Look at you. Do you realize what you did?" Trunks yelled, holding Vegeta's wrists back with his hands held up. "Father don't you see?"